Background and Significance: The Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (Bryan ADRC) at Duke University Medical Center is one of twenty-eight national Alzheimer's disease centers funded by the National Institute on Aging. The Bryan ADRC (grant #P50 AG05128) has five primary specific aims: (1) to provide expertise for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dementing illnesses; (2) to provide the structure and context for the ascertainment, evaluation, longitudinal follow-up and research participation for large families of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients; (3) to disseminate "unique" tissue and provide needed resources for internal and external research; (4) to provide an active clinical center for participation in therapeutic clinical research; and (5) to perform research leading to advances in the biology of AD. Specific aim #3 is pertinent to the Bryan ADRC's utilization of the GCRC. Rapidly retrieved tissue for AD research has proven to be of utmost value to the scientific community which requires this material for basic science research. Accomplishing the dissemination of "unique" tissue and providing needed resources for internal and external research would be unlikely without GCRC utilization. The GCRC provides the mechanics for: (1) the surveillance and collection of important clinical data during the patient's terminal phase, (2) the application of ethical, dignified, and comfort-oriented care of dying patients, and (3) the successful conduct of a brain autopsy rapidly after death. Future Plans: The Bryan ADRC remains committed to providing the scientific community with quality brain tissue from both affected and normal subjects. As of February 28, 1996, (1996/97 figures not yet available), tissue had been disseminated to 161 internal (Duke) investigators and 130 external investigators for use in neurochemical investigations, molecular genetic studies, and neuroanatomical approaches using immunocytology and in situ hybridization.